Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-12-29

Neaiiys escape from the just penalties o1
his crime. Already there are on this side Of
the border some fifty American defauIters
whose thefts aggregate about a. 600 600
The McNeally case should impress the Am
erican Senate with the importance of ratify-
ing the convention framed for the extradi-
ton of these criminals who now find a safe
retreat in Canada, where every facility is af.
forded for the escape Of defaulters. Such a
heavy premium is placed upon the commits
sion of these crimes that confidence in COM
mercial institutions is sadly shaken.
This afternoon Bank Examiner Richards
said in relation to the letter purporting to
have been written by Frank McNeally from
Cairo to the Bank officers:
II should say about the 10th of November
I reasurer Kelley came to Portland with a
letter from McNeally which he had just re-
ceiyed. 1t was mailed at Cairo, / think the
envelope an Egyptian stamp, the pyramid and
sphinx, and was postmarked Cairo the same
date appeared in the letter. Ii was mailed
at Cairo, This letter contained a PROPOSE
tion to surrender the bonds belonging to the
bank on receipt of $50 900 in currency and
an agreement on the part of the bank not to
prosecute. Mr. Kelly had been to Portland
two days before and had shown it to the
council for the bank, Messrs. n. 4 II. b.
Cleayes. After considerable discussion Gen.
Cleaves wrote a letter which / understood
dressed as McNeally had directed. While
Mr. Kelly seemed very anxious to recover
the stolen bonds understood him to fully
agree with Gen. Cleayes and myself that the
Institution could afford to lose the bonds but
it could not afford to condone the crime by
which they had been lost. The letter writ
ten by US was non committal in every res
pect, intending to draw from McNeally a
further proposition and lead to more sat
isfactory result than seems now likely to be
reached. The subsequent correspondence
between the two McNeallys has been pretty
correctly reported by the newspapapers. 1
think in his anxiety to recover the bonds Mr..
Kelly by authorizing Harry McNeally to act
as agent for the bank, committed this act of
indiscretion without advice or authority. 1t
seems voluntary exhibition of folly per-
formed gratuitously without any apparent
motive. About three hours before Mr.. Kelly
issued his commission to Harry McNealy.
President Goodale assured Judge Cleaves in
my hearing that the bank had not and would
not authorize anybody to represent them in
procuring the release of Frank.
| have always entertained some doubt con-
cerning the statement made by McNeally
that he took the bonds upon the impulse of
the moment. The bonds stolen were kept in
a steel chest and Mr.. Kelly has repeatedly
assured me that McNeally was never per-
mitted to see the arrangement of the combi-
nation and never did or never could have
this chest. Besides this, among
the first things discovered on breaking open
the drawers in his desk last September was
A complete list of the stolen bonds gotten up
column, and a copy of my official apprisal
Of each, which made six months before the
in another column. The list was
made with care, and was not executed the
afternoon on which he left Saco. No, there
is not word of truth in the statement, and
and am almost certain he carried those Sc
curities on his person for days and weeks
before leaving the bank.
1t is now a question where the bonds are,
although it is reported that the bonds are hid
den at Cairo. | have never seen a statement
made by him that all the bonds were there.
In fact | have some doubt whether any are
now in his control except the SlS5 900 L. S.
Registered is. If he tells the truth as to the
extent of his travels and as to his being rob-
bed at Cairo, with his extensive ward robe,
jewels, &C., he must have real
lied on the negotiable securities. | think
the boy has been very homesick and tired,
has spent all the money he can raise on the
stolen property and if the officers of the bank
had followed the advice of the Messrs.
Cleaves to the letter believe that McNeally
would have returned, voluntarily surrendered
What bonds he may not have been able to
dispose of and thrown himself upon the
mercy of the court in preference to enduring
a life starving poverty in a foreign land.